I Saw the Sign
by Insomniac1313
Summary: Bonnie, hopelessly trapped in 1994, decides to make the most of it and take a trip to see the world, now that she has it to herself. As she sets out to the big city she finds things aren't quite what they seem in this Other Dimension, and the rules have changed, yet again.
1. Prologue

**_Prologue_**

So this is what hopelessness feels like. Surrounded by the concrete buildings of the old high school she had previously attended, the gym she'd been attacked in, surrounded by blood and death on multiple occasions during cliché formals, and the memories of her long gone best friends echoing around her. Her only light source was the fire growing before her, spreading through the dry branches of a sparsely decorated tree. Though the heat from the fire was hot on her face and legs, she felt a coldness that ran deep to her core that no warmth could penetrate. Tilting her head back, her short dark tresses grazed her sharp chin, revealing dark empty eyes. She gazed at the twinkling stars and felt her face crumple in. Her hands fisted in the threadbare flannel around her waist as her jaw clenched tight. She fought to swallow around the rising lump in her throat and took in the burning pine one last time, taking slow deep breaths. She turned her back on the crackling tree, the high school gym, and the memories of a life that once was, and made her way toward the glistening Camaro waiting to take her away from it all. The chill from the asphalt seeped through the soles of her rugged boots and she pulled the worn leather jacket tighter around her as she slipped behind the wheel of the closest thing she had to a home now. She slipped in the key and let out a shaky breath as she realized she had nowhere to go. Her head bounced against the hard plastic of the wheel as she again felt tears run hot down her cheeks. _What am I going to do now? Where were you all when I needed you?_

She cried until the high flames of the mocking Christmas tree smoldered and the embers faded out, the ashes carried away on a faint breeze. The sun had begun to lighten the sky and as she took in the soft blues, subtle pinks and gold's, she felt a weight slowly lift off her shoulders as a decision was made. She had the whole world to herself, and she wasn't going to sit and wallow anymore. The world outside of this retro prison had failed her, again. It was time to start thinking about what she wanted. The young woman resolutely reached into the glove compartment beside her and pulled out a folded bunch. The wrinkled and faded map sent up a flurry of dust and she coughed slightly as she traced lines across the parchment until her finger stilled. "Perfect." She tapped the decided upon location once, nodded to herself and grinned. Exhaling softly, she set the map on the seat next to her, pulled on her seat belt and cranked the engine to life. She roared out onto the street and rolled down the window letting in the fresh air. The first strains of Salt-N-Pepa trickled out the speakers when she leaned over to turn up the volume. Taping her fingers along to the beat she steered herself over towards the boarding house. There were a few things Bonnie Bennett needed to pick up first, and then it was a one way ticket to the city that never sleeps, away from her past haunted by the happenings of Mystic Falls and hopefully, towards finding her peace.


	2. The Grimoire

**Chapter 1**

**_The Grimoire_**

The Camaro jostled Bonnie slightly as she squinted into the sun, now shining hotly just above the trees, and pulled into the looping driveway of the familiar Salvatore boarding house. She sat in the comfort of the car and contemplated the looming structure in front of her. She hadn't been back to the residence in the few days since she realized she had somehow been left behind, stuck in 1994 alone. Bonnie had opted to stay at the Gilbert house, in Elena's old room, trying to find what little comfort she could in the nostalgic surroundings. Staring at the house, Bonnie's eyes focused in towards the small window just to the side of the entrance. Had she seen a movement inside? _Come on girl, get a grip._ Shaking her head slightly, Bonnie got out of the car and tentatively made her way towards the house. She could feel her heart start to pick up pace at the blossoming flicker of hope that tiny, possible movement behind the window had caused. She stepped onto the sheltered porch area and glanced toward the still glass panes beside her. Licking her dry lips she turned towards the entrance and hesitated, one hand on the door the other hovered just above the weathered brass knob. "This is stupid Bonnie. There's no one there, he's not there. Just open the door." She muttered to herself, silently cursing her heart when it continued pounding harder than ever, at the doors easy swing open. She'd locked it out of habit before she'd left to meet Damon and Elena days earlier. She hurried the rest of the way inside, leaving the door open.

"Damon? Elena?" she whispered, not daring to hope, but feeling it there anyway. The foyer of the house was quiet, the small table situated under an old painting still held a folded note, left there in haste. Bonnie's eyes quickly skirted over the familiar handwriting and continued on into the house, ears perked for any sound at all. She stopped abruptly at the entry way of the parlor, breath leaving her in a harsh exhale, her stomach plunging down. The heavy velvet drapes were slashed to ribbons and the sunlight filtered weakly through, the rich leather furniture and worn Persian rugs were all in the same condition. She felt that little flare of hope stab painfully in her chest once before sizzling out completely. Kai must have stopped by before his timely exit, nice. As she stepped further into the room to investigate she saw that a few tables had been turned, the bottles of bourbon sitting on top smashed to bits, and a small unassuming book shelve had been torn completely apart. Every book thrown from the shelf, their pages ripped out and scattered throughout the room and, she saw peering down into the hallway, that a few pages had managed to drift that way as well. Bonnie continued down the long hallway and turned up the stairs near the end. When she reached the top of the stairs she came out at the beginning of the corridor leading to the library. She noticed stray pages began to litter the floor like bread crumbs guiding her to the room at the end. Bonnie stepped lightly over the papers strewn around and towards the room entry way. She stopped at the entrance and took in the scene before her. The shelves lining the walls were in a similar disarray to the small book shelve she'd come across downstairs. Not a book escaped notice, and all were torn apart. _Why would he do this? What were you up to Kai?_

Bonnie continued through the house, which was surprisingly untouched. The only odd thing to her was the books. Every single book she came across had been tossed aside carelessly, shredded. As a thought occurred to her she took off for the room across from Damon's, the one she'd been staying in before, and threw herself to the ground. Bonnie stretched her arm out underneath the bed and let out a sigh of relief when her fingers brushed against rough cardboard. She pulled the box into her lap and sat back on her heels, while blowing away the errant lock of hair that had fallen in front of her face. Bonnie lifted the lid of the box and felt another burst of relief at the sight of Grams' untouched grimoire. The box also held a couple of white chunky candles, a sharp tiny silver knife she'd found in the house bathroom soap basket of all places, a few empty stoppered vials and one long onyx ravens feather. Also, sitting in the corner of the box, was something she'd found when they had first come to the boarding house. When the Other Side had just fallen, Damon and she had thought they were all alone together, stuck in this repetitive dimension. So they'd almost immediately come to seek the familiarity of the Salvatore mansion and spread out to look for anything that might help to escape this place. While Bonnie had been searching through the house room by room she found herself opening the door to Stefan's room. Bonnie had been surprised at the time to see that it hadn't changed much since 1994. Bonnie quickly scanned the shelves and drawers, convinced she wouldn't find anything of value when she noticed a metal box on Stefan's nightstand. She'd opened it up saw that it was mostly filled with junk, odds and ends that people accumulate over time. But set on top, as if it had just been pulled out, had been a tiny wooden box. Bonnie had opened it up and discovered Elena's necklace, the one Stefan had given to her to guard her from compulsion, empty now of the herb that had given it its protective qualities. The same necklace that Bonnie and her Grams' had failed to destroy after finding out it had been Ester the Original witch's talisman, heirloom and full of her immortal power. It was essentially indestructible. However Rebekah, Ester's daughter, had hidden the necklace rendering its power useless. And there it was, sitting in a carved wooden box in 1994, before all of this could occur years later.

Bonnie had tried to ignore it for a while, but as the time went by and the bleakness of their situation had set in she would find herself more and more frequently locked in her room clutching the talisman and staring down at the pages of Grams' grimoire, trying desperately to get her magic back. She remembered Ester mentioning she had used the pendant to summon her magic from the Other Side but it had never worked for Bonnie. Bonnie didn't know what dimension the Gemini Coven had created but the same rules hadn't applied here as they did the Other Side. The talisman was no help in recovering her magic but Bonnie had kept it in its little wooden box, shoved under her bed. She couldn't bear the thought of it being lost forever and now as she held it in her hand, she could feel the power she hadn't been able to feel before she'd regained her own magic thrum through it. Ester had been strong. She was first of the witches but with the strength of Bonnie's bloodline magic, black magic, and Expression restored she felt that she was substantial in power herself, especially now that she held a remnant of Esters' magic in her hands. She slipped the pendant around her neck and let it settle below the hollow of her throat, the cool silver warming to her skin. The power contained within felt like a steady thrum, and she was glad to have that small reassurance of strength as she put the contents of the box away and carried it downstairs.

Bonnie packed up the rest of her sparse belongings and carried them to the foyer. She stood up and gave the room a casual once over as she stretched the tightness out of her back. Bonnie straightened abruptly when she spotted the old video camcorder wedged behind a vase of dying flowers on the small table where Damon's note remained. She turned her back on both and grabbed her few bags, shouldered her worn denim backpack and strode out toward the now open trunk of the Camaro. As she was shuffling her bags around the trunk's tiny space to get the best fit she continued to shove stuff around haphazardly until she could practically hear Damon's chiding voice, _'Are you done man handling the luggage Little Witch?'_ Bonnie let out a single huff of laughter and straightened from the car, slamming the trunk shut. She went back into the house, snatched up the camera and slid the note into her pocket, without a second thought. Bonnie paused as she locked the front door for the last time. She raised a hand to the aged wood and the corners of her mouth quirked, "It's been interesting." She went back towards the Camaro and slid into the low seat, setting the camera on the seat next to her along with her denim bag. She lifted the console lid to stash the camera but stopped when she noticed the small leather bound book. Bonnie lifted the book out and stroked her thumb across the branded TP on the bottom corner. She untied the single piece of leather wound several times around the book leaving worn groves on the cover and spine, and opened the book. As Bonnie flipped through the pages she realized with a growing mixture of excitement and wary that this was possibly what Kai had been looking for. _It's not a just a journal. It's a grimoire. _


	3. Whiskey, Time-travel, and Kai Oh my!

**CHAPTER 2**

**_Whiskey, Time-travel, and Kai. Oh my! _**

Damon stared up at the ceiling, a half empty bottle of bourbon in one hand, and actively tried avoiding all thoughts that began and ended with _Elena. _It wasn't working. When the clock had struck twelve he'd stomped to the door and grabbed the mistletoe he'd been _fucking stupid_ enough to hang and promptly lit it on fire and watched it burn. Then the drinking had started. Why did he do this to himself? Right. Because he was a murdering dick wad who couldn't help but bring pain and destroy everything he touched. Especially to the woman he loves more than anything. So much pain that she'd _erased him completely_ from her memories, basically only leaving behind exactly who Damon knew he'd always be anyways: an impulsively murdering psychopath with an unfortunate penchant for feisty brunettes that _always_ got him into trouble. Damon brought the bottle to his lips and swallowed in a quick smooth motion not spilling a drop, grimacing slightly at the burn, which reminded him of one of the few times he'd actually gotten Goody-Goody to partake in some of the mass quantities of free booze they'd had in 1994.

_"__Bonnie. We're stuck here. We've been stuck here for two months, just take the bottle." Bonnie tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her white lace camisole. "Fine," she huffed. Then, to Damon's utter disbelief, she reached across the table and scattered dishes that remained from dinner not long before, and upended the full bottle. Her dark silky hair slid back revealing Bonnie's elegantly long throat flexing repetitively as she guzzled Jim Beam like it was water. After a few long seconds later Bonnie set the noticeably emptier bottle down with a thud and stared Damon straight in the eye, "I'm probably going to regret that." And then Bonnie belched once, loud and drawn out and immediately clapped both hands around her mouth smothering her burst into giggles. "Wow, Boozey Bon Bon, and here I was ready to be impressed by your drinking skills, but it's your control or lack thereof, of bodily functions that astound me instead." The corners of her mouth were trembling as she tried to rein in her laughter," Shut up Damon, believe me I could take you under the table." A blush stole up the back of her neck and threatened to overtake her face entirely, "Drink, I could _drink_ you under the table." Then realizing that wasn't much better pursed her lips while simultaneously sending a glare at him and slouched back in her chair. "Wow. The Little Witch That Could, I knew you'd finally come around." Damon winked and lifted the whiskey again, enjoying her discomfort, until she leaned over and bumped the butt of the bottle with her finger causing alcohol to spill out over Damon. "You're disgusting" Bonnie stated as Damon stood and sputtered wetly. He stopped at that and met her eyes. "I know," he retorted, leering at her in his trademark fashion. Damon went to throw himself back onto his chair, bottle already rising to meet his lips. Then somehow, he'd found himself on his ass, his previously occupied chair clattering across the floor, and the bottle held high in one hand with only a few drops escaping in the tumble. Damon mentally applauded himself. He looked up and met Bonnie's wide concerned eyes, "What just happened?" Damon could only look at the knocked over chair beside him and see the now obvious. He looked around briefly and spotted what he was looking for. He grasped the splintered piece of wood and held it up from his position on the floor for Bonnie's inspection. It took her a few moments before recognition flooded her face and she realized he'd broken the chair leg in his drunken sprawl. "I guess you didn't know your own strength, but hey, you _did_ save the booze," she intoned dryly. They both stared at each other a minute longer before promptly exploding into laughter. _

It was one of Damon's better memories dead, alive, or not-quite-dead-just-stuck-in-the-_new _Other-Side-but-not-more-like-Other-Dimension-thingy. He set the bourbon aside on his dark wooden night stand and tried to swallow down the sudden lump that had crawled up to his throat. Why had she saved him? He _was disgusting._ He was so clearly deserving of less than she was and she had believed in him. Bonnie had believed there was hope for him and hope of getting out of there and she was part way right, there _had_ been a way to get out. There just wasn't any hope for Damon, not if he couldn't even save Bonnie. The love of his existence had chosen to forget some of the best parts of his life. His best friend had erased them for her, and had chosen his newest _fling_ over the life of the witch that brought him back to life. So the bastard _could date. _Damon sat up on the edge of his bed and let out a frustrated sigh as he raked his hands through his midnight hair. There had to be something he could do to free her. Bonnie was all alone in that freaky ass repeating nineties hell and she didn't even have the resident psychopath, Kai, to keep her company. Damon stood and began pacing back and forth, his mind racing through all his knowledge of the Other Dimension and the Gemini Coven and how it could be useful.

As the morning sunlight began to peek over the windowsill and stream into the boarding house it found Damon stationed at the low table in the parlor. He had an untouched glass of whiskey next to an old book with suspiciously skin-like pages and several similar looking books plus a variety of others scattered on the desk and floor surrounding him. "Okay, time-traveling dimension specific spell or Ascendant related mojo, shouldn't be too hard." He muttered to himself as he slowly scanned the pages of an old journal of Gloria's, one of the many witches he'd come across in his lifetime, or death if you wanted to get technical. He had so many books and had so many loose ends out there, random acquaintances he could call and squeeze for information but he didn't even know _where to begin_. Damon slammed the tome shut and rubbed his eyes hard, groaning softly at the sensation. He didn't think he'd ever heard of time travel before. He didn't even know if it was possible. Maybe he was approaching this wrong. The Ascendant has been the key to opening up the doorway, the portal, back home and to _that _1994 specifically. It had been a ghost town, definitely a different dimension of sorts. The only time Damon had traveled anywhere like that, and stayed alive, was using the Ascendant. Now that was gone, destroyed by Kai. Kai. God, he _hated_ that guy. He hated even more that Alaric and Jo had wanted to keep him alive. Look how that turned out. They had yet another psychopath problem in Mystic Falls. At that thought Damon looked around the familiar boarding house walls. However they didn't have a magic prevention town barrier problem anymore apparently. It had been quite a while since he'd been back to Salvatore mansion and all the memories in this place had flooded right back, but now they were a blend of his horror filled past and the chaotic yet somehow monotonous time in 1994. Pancakes, blood, teddy bears and bourbon swirled around and around. He skirted away from thought of Elena again. His memories with her seemed tainted somehow, and he didn't know how to fix it. He desperately wanted to. Damon wished so fervently that she'd never erased her love for him. It was just such a drastic decision to make. He had always thought of Elena, of their love, as stronger than that too. He just hopes they can find a way back to each other and away from the night at The Grille and everything that has happened since. He's trying to move on from it, he loves Elena undoubtedly, but he'd happily just forget this all happened, the Other Dimension, Kai, The Gemini Coven, Alaric's betrayal, Elena forgetting them, and _God the list was long_. But he'd keep Bonnie. Damon thinks she might be the one bright spot to all of this. He has to find a way to get to her. She's all alone. She's stuck in that place because of him, and all because he failed her. He had failed to be there for her when she needed him most. There had to be a way to save her.

A long low buzz snatched Damon from his musings. He looked up at the sound, trying to locate it as it gave out another long vibration. "Dammit cushions," he muttered as he tossed pillows, books, and cushions aside trying to spot the missing item. Damon finally spies the phone on the floor slightly underneath the couch he'd been perched on earlier. He hurriedly bends to retrieve it and checks the screen quickly, heart picking up when he notices it is Elena. "Hey gorgeous, missed you last night," he answers, mentally berating himself for not keeping his cool about last night. His mental flogging get cuts short when, instead of Elena's spunky rebuttal or even better an apology, on the other end of the line he's answered by a voice that makes his blood run cold. "Yeah I'm sorry we couldn't stay for dinner, see Elena and I had other plans, or you could say that I had other plans for Elena," Kai drawled into the phone, "nice touch, the mistletoe though." Damon thought back to last night, and the tentative knock he'd answered, sure it was her, but no one had appeared to be there. "You know," Kai continued, "I'm standing here, looking at her, and I don't get it." Damon felt his heart lodge into his throat. _Not Elena too, God no. _"Kai if yo-" he was cut off by Kai's rambling, "I mean everybody loves Elena right? Myself? I think I prefer my women a little more _magical_." Damon's heart completely stopped at that. "You know what I mean Damon?" Kai asked. "Of course you do, who are we kidding?" Damon's hands clutched the phone tightly to his ear, "Cut to the chase Kai _what do you want?" _He could hear Kai's soft chuckle and slight intake of breath before he spoke, "I want you to choose Damon," he began softly, as if to take away from the blow of his next words, "I can get you back to your little witch however, the price is Elena. She dies, of course. See I'm curious, I know Bonnie would save _you_ time and time again but what's that Bennett bitch _really_ worth to you?"


	4. Terms and Conditions

**Chapter 3**

**_Terms and Conditions _**

"You know, that may have been a _tad_ harsh, Bonnie's not a bitch," Kai mused. "In fact, I kind of miss her." Damon's hand clenched tighter to his phone. He heard a distinct crack and made himself loosen his grip. "It _almost _makes me wish I'd brought her along, instead of stabbing her with my sister's knife. Oh well," Kai continued. Damon could practically see him now, his smug wide grin, silvery eyes gleaming manically as he postured and rambled on. "See Damon, I'm chock full of magic right now. That Traveler spell sure was _yummy._ I'm guessing it's going to last me a while, but not forever and I _do _have a merge to w- You know, hold that thought." He was greeted to silence, and then Damon could hear a sudden scuffle in the back ground, several grunts and the distinct sound of Kai muttering _something_, then nothing. "Kai? What's going on over there?" Damon shouted into the phone. He could feel his head pounding. Why did this have to be happening? God, would his life ever _not_ be one series of _fucked up _occurrences after another? "I swear to God, if you've done somethi—", Kai cut him off once again sounding slightly out of breath, "You'll what Damon?" he drawled into the phone, "You'll come at me with your big bad fangs and _growl_ at me?" Kai laughed into the phone at him, "oops sorry, forgot, that's werewolves." Damon had never wanted to kill someone more. "Look, this is simple," he continued, "I know Bonnie sent you her magic. I want it or Elena dies. See? Simple." Damon was shocked motionless. He had been pacing on the threadbare Persian rug and now had to clutch the low table he'd been working at to keep himself from crushing the tiny phone altogether. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Damon began slowly, trying to surmise exactly what Kai knew. After the trip to Oregon, and the run in with the Gemini Coven patriarch Joshua Parker which _that _had turned out well, he'd stored Mrs. Cuddles in a bag in the trunk of his car. When the bear had accidentally revealed Papa Parker's cloaking spell he'd known something was up. Only _Bonnie _would think a stuffed piece of cotton was her best hiding place for something as important as her _magic. _ "How would I have Bonnie's magic? The last I checked, she wasn't here." Damon continued snidely. Kai audibly scoffed into the line, "Give me a break, Damon. I know she sent her magic over in that ridiculous bear. I was there with her, remember? And whether you knew that she'd put her magic in cute widdle Mrs. Cuddles or not, you'd have saved it." Kai laughed into the phone again, "You and the witch are close like that." Damon's mind was racing. He couldn't give Kai the bear, it took Bonnie _so much_ to regain her magic and to just hand it over to the psychopath she'd undoubtedly risked her life trying to keep trapped in the Other Dimension? Just so Kai could _maybe_ have the strength to win his freaky 'twin merge witchy woo-woo thingy'? No way. He'd already failed Bonnie so many times, especially by leaving her behind in that hellhole _again_, he couldn't betray her now. She'd _trusted _him with it, with her magic, and for once he was going to do the right thing. But first he had to get Elena away from Kai. "You're right I have the bear, but before I do anything I need to know Elena's alive." Damon spoke. He heard Kai speak to someone away from the mouthpiece and then Elena was breathing into Damon's ear, "Damon? Is that you?" Damon felt relief pour through his entire body. "Elena, are you alright? I'm going to figure this out okay, just _hold on-." _ Elena's next words came out in a jumble, fading out rapidly as the phone was snatched from her hands, "Damon! I'm at the old Lock- " Her voice was abruptly cut off by a sharply spat out, "_mortem_ _torquent!"_A slight rustle came through the line and then Damon was greeted with Kai's voice once more, "Sorry about that, I didn't want her giving away too much, we were just starting to have fun. Although _now_ I have to wait for her to wake back up, she's not much fun dead. Ah, the many marvels of vampire magic," Kai sounded slightly winded, as if killing Elena with magic had drained him. Good Damon thought grimly. A powerless Kai was definitely better than a power_ful _Kai. "Besides, I can't have you trying to play misguided hero and actually attempting to _rescue _her or anything," Kai went on, "So this is it for now and hey, don't stress I'll find you. Oh and Damon? I suggest you go and collect a certain magic filled memento as soon as you can. I'm going to love practicing some fun spells on your girlfriend here while I wait."

Alaric could hear the frantic pounding coming from his front apartment door. The statuesque brunette on the couch froze with an almost empty glass raised partway to her wine stained lips. Alaric set the now empty take out containers back on the small coffee table and started towards the front door only when he heard a familiar voice shouting frantically though the thin barrier. "Ric! Open this damn door. Look I'm sorry I compelled you , I just-" Damon stumbled forward and smacked into an invisible barrier that prevented him from entering the apartment as Alaric swung the door open wide. "What the -? Invite _me in _damn it_," _Damon hissed at him as he clung to the door frame, body tensed to spring inside. "No!" A stern feminine voice emitted from inside the candle lit room. "We don't know what he's doing here Alaric, just wait a minute," she continued, heading towards the front door to stand in front of Damon simultaneously linking hands with the sandy haired man next to her. Damon's eyes flicked towards the joined hands and met the woman's eyes with a slight sneer to communicate her silent _claim _meant nothing to him. "I see _your _still around," he said leaning nonchalantly on the threshold, "Gosh what _was _your name Doc? Janette? Jean? Never mind, don't care. As I've been saying, I doubt you'll last long enough for it to matter and Alaric, what the hell? I'm uninvited now? That was quick. _Rude._" Alaric sputtered between the intensely glaring vampire to his left and the silently fuming woman to his right before heaving a sigh, stepping back, and opening the door fully, "Just get the hell inside Damon, I'm obviously going to need a drink for this." Damon quickly shouldered his way past the stiff woman in front of him and made his way to the bottle on the table. He promptly brought the bottle to his lips and took a healthy few swallows, setting it back down on the table with a slight grimace. Damon wiped the back of his mouth with his sleeve and stared the woman right in the eyes, "Bit dry for me, I prefer bourbon myself. " He scanned her up and down briefly before continuing, "So it's good you're here actually, you feeling witchy Janine? Because you could say I've got a _serious _problem I'm betting you can help me with it," he intoned. "Cut it out Damon," Alaric interrupted, "you know her name. If you're going to barge in here after what _you did_ and ask for a favor at least _try _not being a total dick," he finished, going to sit on the worn overstuffed couch next to the rigidly perched doctor. Damon heaved a sigh and ran both hands across his head, tossing back a few wayward, dark strands, "Fine _Jo, _I'd very much appreciate your help in bringing down your psycho twin because he's currently kidnapped Elena you know _my_ _compelled ex-_girlfriend," he shot Ric a look, which promptly cause Ric to roll his eyes, "and is _seriously _power hungry after his 20 year sabbatical, so he needs to die." Damon squared his shoulders and cut off a rising Jo, "Look," he started, "I'm not asking for permission anymore. Kai crossed one line too many and now he needs to die." Jo slowly sat back down, her face visibly paling and reached for the almost empty wine bottle on the table. "Okay so we kill Kai," Jo began slowly, much to Damon's surprise, after setting the bottle down with shaking hands, "but we need to get Elena away from him and drain any magic he's got left." Jo's steely eyes met Damon's and she spoke the next words slowly, as if to make sure he didn't miss anything, "if we're going to kill Kai, we're going to do it my way. He wants to merge. We'll merge. I'm tired of running from him."


	5. The Meet Up

_**Chapter 4**_

_**The Meet Up **_

Bonnie sat mesmerized, chewing on a piece of salt water taffy and staring at the cresting waves. She paid little notice to the faint mist spraying her face causing the hair framing it to curl up in the damp. She had driven all day to make it to Long Beach and as she watched the sunset over the water Bonnie felt a pang in her heart and closed her eyes against the beauty in front of her. Jeremy had often talked about taking a trip here, with her. _They could just hop in her car and drive til they reached ocean_, he'd whisper in her ear, painting the rhythm of the waves across her skin softly with his fingertips. Bonnie had wanted to believe so badly that it would happen one day back then, that she would escape from all the supernatural dangers of Mystic Falls with the love of her life. She had been quickly disillusioned after she'd walked in on Anna and Jeremy. Even after they'd gotten back together and she'd forgiven him, and she had, Bonnie never dreamed of a life with Jeremy beyond the next day again. So much had happened and she had lost so much since then, her own life included, several times over. And now she was stuck here. In this godforsaken prison world nightmare alone. But she wanted to live. For the first time in so long Bonnie _really wanted to live_. But she couldn't do that here, in this hell. So she was seeing the ocean for the first time today, and promising to see it again someday. In real life with all the people she missed desperately. Caroline and Elena of course. And if Caroline was coming Stefan was following she supposed. Matt and Tyler were a must, hell even Alaric and Enzo were welcome to join, the more the merrier in her book. Bonnie was astutely aware of the one person she had excluded from her group road trip musings. Even thinking Damon's name hurt. Bonnie had thought naively that he would find her. That he would _never_ have left her once he realized she was alive. They had bonded in this hell and he wouldn't just leave her alone. But he had come with Elena to save her and somehow it had all gone wrong, of course. Bonnie knew it wasn't fair to be angry with Damon. She was sure he had tried his hardest to get her back. She just couldn't stop the nagging in the back of her head that was increasingly getting louder, telling her that Damon had gotten what he ultimately wanted and her friends _knew_ she was stuck here yet did nothing to save her._ She was sure Elena needing saving that week and God knows she can't save herself. _Bonnie immediately felt guilty as soon as the thought crossed her mind. She swallowed the melted taffy remnants in her now dry mouth and shoved the remaining pieces in the denim bag next to her, pulling out the map she'd found in the Camaro. Bonnie refused to let herself dwell on the past. Regardless of whatever was going on with her friends, she needed to find a way back and the only person she could truly rely on was herself. And that started with getting her magic back. Bonnie had been more aware of the presence of magic ever since she sent it away through her childhood teddy bear. Almost as if by entrusting her magic elsewhere, instead of it being ripped away from her through various circumstances, she had retained a modicum of power. Bonnie just needed to find a way to light that spark inside again. Last time it had been the adrenaline of Kai attacking Damon that had pushed her over the edge but now Bonnie felt as if she could just reach out and grab it. As if somehow, the magic was waiting for her somewhere. The thought of taking magic brought to mind Kai's rarity. As much as Bonnie hated him she almost envied his ability to siphon magic as if he were some humanoid leech. _A vampire, _she thought wryly. She brought one hand up to stroke the wrist of the other, remembering the awful feeling of her power draining away into Kai's brutally tight grip. He had enjoyed every minute of her agony. What she wouldn't give to be able to grasp him tightly in her bare hands, suck all the magic from him and get out of this place. Just leave him behind, powerless and alone. Then he would know Bonnie's pain. Once and for all. Bonnie once again shook herself from her musings and tried to focus on the worn ink of the map in front of her. Damon had marked a route to get to Nova Scotia. He had their little island from hell circled, which could have meant only one thing. He had wanted the cure. _Probably for Elena, _Damon was self destructive yet oddly selfless in his own way. The island wasn't too far away, considering Bonnie had nothing but time, but she was still hesitant to go. The last time she had been to that place Shane had brainwashed and manipulated her. She'd lost a piece of herself. Bonnie wasn't sure she wanted to go back there and yet giving Elena the chance to be human would be worth it. Despite everything, she loved her. Elena had never really spoken it out loud, but she hated being a vampire. Bonnie knew it was her relationship with Damon, and their vampire friends that kept her sane, because than she wasn't alone. If there was a chance Bonnie could spare her friend the agony of forever, she had to do it. Bonnie wouldn't live the rest of her life wondering what if. With that, Bonnie folded the map back up decisively and put it in the front pocket of her worn bag. She would figure out a way to get her magic back somehow, but this she could do now. Shouldering it on, she stood and began the trek back to the car. She had a long drive ahead of her, _at least she had plenty of reading material_, Bonnie thought as she felt Joshua Parker's grimoire bounce against the small of her back.

"This plan is stupid." Damon leaned against the rough bark of the tall tree at his back, arms crossed to emphasize his disapproval. "And yet here we are in an abandoned lot, letting this 'stupid plan' happen, unless you've managed to come up with a better one?" Jo answered back with more bite than was her norm. She clutched both arms around her torso, unnaturally still as her eyes roamed the woods just outside Mystic Falls. Jo took in the charred remnants of the old church that used to stand in this very spot. She could understand why Kai had felt drawn to pick this as a meeting point. The power of old magic filled the air around her, almost tangible. Some very strong magic had taken place and left a deep, unwavering mark on the earth here. Naturally creatures of magic would be drawn to this spot, like all of Mystic Falls really. Magic almost seemed to fill the air here. "Look Jo, I know you can do this, but you don't have too." Alaric's low tone snapped Jo out of her thoughts and brought her focus back to the situation at hand. "Yes she does," Damon retorted. Jo shot a quick glare in his direction and turned towards Ric more fully, dead leaves crunching beneath her feet, "I can speak for myself," she tossed over her shoulder at the scowling vampire, "but he's not wrong," she directed more softly at Ric. "Elena is in this mess because of me. "Alaric's mouth dropped open to object, his accusing stare finding Damon, "no its true." Jo interjected before he got the chance. "Liv was right too. If I had never run away from the merge to begin with, none of this would have happened. Kai wants power, my power, and he'll stop at nothing to get it. Hurting the people I care about is at the top of his list apparently." Jo swiveled around stepping close to Alaric's side but once more including Damon in the conversation, "however your antagonizing helps no one, Damon." The vampire in question raised his hands defensively, "Hey! I'm not the power hungry psycho with adequacy issues here. I'm just hoping he'll take the ol' bait and switch cause I've locked away Mrs. Cuddles for good. I'm not having Bon kill me for losing her magic once we get her back." At his last statement Jo and Alaric exchanged looks. "Damon, about that, we need to tal-" Jo's next words died on her lips as her eyes shifted to just behind Damon. "Kai," she announced instead. "Well, isn't this a surprise oh sister of mine," Kai sang out as he dragged a tightly bound Elena in front of him, a wicked sharp looking stake nestled in the hollow of her rib cage, tip aimed for her heart. Elena's frantic eyes quickly passed by Damon and locked onto Alaric's. The moment Elena caught Ric's gaze her eyes filled with relief, as if she knew by his presence she'd be safe. Damon witnessed the tiny moment and felt it like a hot spike in the gut. Even after everything they'd gone through, the sting of Elena's decision to forget them still weighed heavily on him. "Damon," Kai greeted with a grin, "Ric, how's it hanging?" He nodded, piercing eyes sizing the both of them up. "Now I know I invited the vampire to this little outing," he began and let his nose nestle into the crook of Elena's neck as he continued, "and obviously the bait had to join, but it's the lack of furr and the inclusion of blood relations," he straighten up to glare at his twin, "and various hangers on," this he directed at Alaric, "that confuse me. Care to clarify Damon?" Dead leaves crunched under Damon's feet as he slowly approached Kai and a deathly still Elena. "Look, I can't give you the bear, there are various unspoken promises at work. I'm sure you understand," Damon started gaze locked onto Kai's. Kai tightened his grip around the stake and pressed it into Elena's flesh drawing a pinprick of blood, "I want Bonnie's magic Damon, I thought I had made myself clear." Damon took a few more steps forward but froze as Kai dug the wood deeper into Elena causing her to gasp out sharply. "Wait stop!" Jo yelled making her presence known once again. "Kai, leave Damon and Elena out of this," she said forcefully, "I'm what you really want anyways, and I'm here. So let's do this," she finished, squaring her shoulders.


End file.
